Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I am aware of the serious pollution incident that occurred in May 2023, resulting in a significant fish kill on the Ballymacraven river, a tributary of the Inagh river in west Clare . The Ballymacraven river is an important spawning habitat for Atlantic salmon and for juvenile and adult European eel, both of which are highly vulnerable. This type of pollution incident which resulted in the significant loss of freshwater fish is not acceptable and there were court proceedings in relation to this matter.

Inland Fisheries Ireland, (IFI), as the statutory body tasked with the protection, management and conservation of the inland fisheries resource is extremely proactive in its efforts to prevent pollution incidents and will continue to exercise vigilance when dealing with pollution incidences and will utilise its powers to gather evidence and where warranted, use this evidence to bring cases before the courts.

The Inland Fisheries Acts 1959 to 2017 and the Water Pollution Acts 1977 and 1990 provide for the protection of Ireland’s inland fisheries resource and the prevention of environmental pollution. Inland fisheries Ireland is empowered to enforce these acts and undertake a variety of different types of protection patrols and inspections on different types of water bodies at different times of the year, as part of preventative measures to avoid pollution incidents on our rivers and lakes.

Of course, the matters under consideration here extend beyond just the remit of IFI to also encompass local authorities, the Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage, Uisce Éireann and other stakeholders so a cross-Government approach to preventing such pollution incidents and the causes of same continues to be crucial.